Umbrellas



Jan. 22, 1963 A. FOLTIS ETAL UMBRELLAS Filed March 7, 1958 WW5 m n WFKJJ m nu J 5 ML W &N W

United rates Our invention is an improvement in umbrellas and parasols,having covers that can be distended and folded.

An important object of this invention is to provide an umbrella or thelike having a cover and a rod with ribs to which the cover is atached;and so constructed that the cover can be distended or folded in theusual way when the user grasps the rod in one hand and manipulates theumbrella with the other; or distended and collapsed with one hand only.

Another object is to provide a rod to which the ribs of the umbrella arepivotally connected, but which is made in sections assembled in such amanner that they can operate to spread or collapse the ribs withoutrequiring both hands of the user to assure such results. The nature andadvantages of our invention are clearly described hereinafter, andseveral embodiments of our improvement are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. But this disclosure is by way of example only andmany variations in structural details may be adopted without deviatingfrom the main design in which the invention resides.

On said drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal section through the rod of an umbrella forinstance, showing the parts of the rod and the mode of assembly, thesection being on line 11 of FIGURE 3, looking toward the left.

FIGURE 2 is a similar view showing said parts in a ditferent position,partly in section, showing the opposite side of the device as indicatedon FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 3 is a view seen from the opposite side of the red, as it appearsin FIGURE 2, the parts being enlarged.

FIGURE 4 is a similar view seen from the right of the construction asillustrated in FIGURE 3.

With reference first to FIGURES 1 and 3, the umbrella is shown ascomprising a rod 1 with a handle 2 of any suitable material at one end.This rod carries ribs 3 to which the cover, not shown, is attached, andthe spreading links or struts 4 which distend the ribs and cover. Thehandle is hollow and within it is a cup-shaped, metallic socket 5, openat the inner end of the handle; and secured within this socket is theend of a fixed solid shank 6 which extends out of the handle, the socket5 and shank 6 being secured by a pin 7 in the handle 2.

The rod 1 is a composite member and comprises a hollow terminal topsection 8, slidably mounted upon the outer end of the shank 6 andcontaining a compression spring 9, which seats at one end against theshank 6 and at the other end against the outer closed end of thissection 8. The ribs 3 are pivotally secured in the usual way to a collar10 aflixed to the section 8, and the links 4 are similarly attached toanother collar 10a fixed on the outer end of a sleeve 12, and the collar10a is at such distance from the collar 10 that, when the collars 10 and10a are moved toward each other, the ribs 3 are distended, and when thecollars are moved apart the ribs and cover are collapsed.

The sleeve 12 envelops the inner end portion of the section 8 and islarge enough in diameter to allow free relative sliding movement of theparts 8 and 12. The end 13 of the sleeve 12 at the handle 2 is ofreduced diameter and is shown in FIGURE 1 retracted within the handle;being housed in an annular space 14 between the handle 2 and shank 6.The space 14 opens through *atent the inner end of the handle 2 andterminates short of the socket 5, and the reduced end portion 13 of thesleeve 12 is joined to the main part of sleeve 12, with the largerdiameter, by a coupling section 15. When the umbrella is in collapsedcondition, the compressive force of the spring 9 maintains the section 8in its outermost position on the shank 6; and the sleeve 12 has itssmall portion 13 within the space 14 surrounding the shank 6.

The section 8 terminates at the proper point between the handle 2 andcollar 10a, when the umbrella is collapsed. Obviously, if the smallerportion 13 of the sleeve 12 is within the handle 2 and in contact withthe socket 5, and the section 8 is projected by the spring 9, as inFIGURE 1, any pressure on the outer end of the section 8 will force thissection towards the handle, sliding between the shank 6 and the sleeve12, and compressing the spring 9. As the collars 1t) and 10a are fixed,one on the section 8 and the other on the end of the sleeve 12, thismovement of the section 8 against the force of the spring 9 will causethe links 4 to force the ribs 3 outward.

The outer sleeve 12 has an opening 16 therein (see FIGURE 3) and thesection 8 has a cooperating opening 17, the shank 6 having a depression18. These openings and depression all register to permit the hooked end29 of a catch 19 to enter them when the section 8 is forced inward intothe sleeve 12 against the spring 9. Then the catch 19 will lock thesection 8 in retracted position and the umbrella is kept raised. Thecatch 19 is pivoted to opposite sides of the outer sleeve 12 by lugs 21and short pins or rivets 22; and in the section 8, extending from apoint near the aperture 17 to the inner end of the section 8, is a slot27 which is open at the end presented .towards the handle 2. The end ofthe catch opposite the hook 20 is engaged by a spring 23, which may beeither a coil spring or a leaf spring, and normally urges the hooked end20 towards the rod 1. The slot '27 is open at the inner end of thesection 8. The catch 19 and abovenamed openings are at the left of theumbrella as it appears in FIGURE 2, but are omitted for the sake ofclearness.

The catch also has a second projection 25 near the spring 23, and theshank 6 has another depression 26 nearer the handle 2. In the sleeve 12in the end portion adjacent the handle is another aperture 24. When theend of the catch 19 at the spring 23 is depressed to withdraw theprojection 20 from the openings 16 and 17 and depression 18, the otherprojection 25 enters the opening 24 and depression 26, securing thesleeve 12 to the shank 6 as the spring 9 expands and thrusts the section8 outward to its former position and collapses the ribs and cover.Otherwise the sleeve 12 might be caused to move with the section 8, andthe folding of the ribs and cover prevented.

With the parts in the position shown in FIGURE 1, if the owner of theumbrella now wishes to open it with one hand, he holds the umbrella withthe closed outer end of the section 8 in position against a Wall, flooror pavement, or any fixed object and pushes on the handle 2. With thesleeve 12 having its end portion 13 in the handle 2, the opening 24 nowregisters with the depression 26 in the shank 6, and as the section 8 isforced towards the handle 2, the slot 27 in the section 8 clears theprojection 25 on the catch 19, and the part of the section 8 at the endof the slot 27 slips past the rounded end of projection 20 of the catch19, so that the opening 17 can be alined with the opening 16 anddepression 18. The catch 19 thus locks the section 8 to the sleeve 12and shank 6 and keeps the spring 9 under compression. This movement ofthe section 8, of course, distends the ribs 3.

When the umbrella is to be closed, the owner presses on the end of thelatch 19 under which is the spring 23, pushingtheprojection-25-throughthe opening 24 and into the depression 26 in 'theshank 6, and the inner section Sis released. The end 20 of the latch isnow pulled out of the opening 17 in the section 8. The ispring9thenforces this-inner sectionoutward to original position and the ribsand links are collapsed. The slot 27 in the section-8 gives sufiicientclearance to the projection 25 on the latch '19 as the section -8 isreturned by the spring -9, and :the projection 25 on the catch is now inthe depression '26, holding the sleeve 12 stationary. The catch '19,'theholes in the section-8 and sleeve 12, and depressions 18 and 26in theshank -6 are omitted in FIGURES 1, 2 and 4, but can'be locatedconveniently say, on the front side of the rod 1, as shown in FIGURES 1and-3,:or rear side as shown in FIGURES. The umbrella pan thus :beclosed with one hand quite easily.

,With the umbrella collapsed with the parts in position as in FIGURE 1,the coupling member 115 will be entirely within the handle 2; Thesection -8 'is now held out .by the spring '9, and its opening 17 isbeyond the end of the shank 6 which one end of the spring 9 abuts. EH itis desired to raise the umbrella with both hands, the owner takes holdof the handle 2 with one hand and, with his other, pushes the sleeve 12outward away from the handle 2. The latch 19 is pressed to move its end20. clearof the opening 16. The collar 10a on the outer .en'cl of thissleeve ,12 then thrusts against the lmks 4 and raises the ribs 2, butthe spring 9 in the section -8 is not compressed. The projection 20of;the catch 19 moves along the slot 27 in the section 8 and when theribs are fully distended, theprojection 20 of the catch slips intoopening '17 ofthel sleeve 8 and the ribs and cover are held in raisedposition "as before. See FIG- URE 3. -A pin '30 in the shank6 engagesaslot 29in the slot 2 7 far enough for the retraction of the otherprojection 20 from the opening '16 to permit the sleeve 12 to be pulledback. toward the handle and carry the ribs downward'to close theumbrella With-one hand. If desired, another depression maybe formed inthe shank 6 just below the spring 9 to allow more inward movement of theprojection 20 at this time. The sleeve 12, as it moves toward the outerend of the section 8, of course,

pivotally connecting said ribs and the adjacent end of said sleeve, ashank in the section which is slidable there-' on, a coil spring carriedby said section and having one end engaging the section and its otherend seated on said shank, said umbrella comprising a handle on saidshank, and a latch on said sleeve adjacent the handle to engage theshank to hold both said section and sleeve in retracted position.

*2. An umbrella comprising a hollow rod forming a main suppor thereforand having a top tubular section with ribs pivoted thereto for a cover-to be attached-over said ribs, a sleeve externally telescoping saidsection, links pivotally connecting said ribs and the adjacent end ofthe sleeve, a coil spring carried by said section, a shank in saidsection which is slidable thereon, seating said spring, 'a latch on theopposite end'ofthe sleeve,-to engage the shank and hold the said sleeveand-section retracted and said spring compressed when-the ribs aredistended and when released disengaging the sleeveand section, allowingthe spring to expand and collapse said 'ribs and-said links.

3. The umbrella according to claim 2 wherein said rod has a'handle atone endto which the shank-is fixed, the spring being within said sectionand seated against the 'outer end of the section, said section, shankand sleeve having openings to be engaged by said latch.

4. The umbrella according to claim 2 wherein the shank has a handlefixed at one end, the latch being adjacent said handle, the sectionhaving its outer end closed, the spring being within said section andseated against said shank the outer end of the section, said section,shank and sleeve having openings to be engaged by said latch, saidsleeve being slidably mounted on said section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS601,096 Hfl r Mar. 22, 1898 638,700 Cameron Dec. 12, 1899 FOREIGNPATENTS 7 877,187 Germany May 21, 1953

1. AN UMBRELLA COMPRISING A HOLLOW TOP SECTION WITH RIBS PIVOTED THERETOFOR A COVER TO BE ATTACHED OVER SAID RIBS, A SLEEVE INTO WHICH SAIDSECTION TELESCOPES, LINKS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED SAID RIBS AND THE ADJACENTEND OF SAID SLEEVE, A SHANK IN THE SECTION WHICH IS SLIDABLE THEREON, ACOIL CARRIED BY SAID SECTION AND HAVING ONE END ENGAGING THE SECTION ANDITS OTHER END SEATED ON SAID SHANK, SAID UMBRELLA COMPRISING A HANDLE ONSAID SHANK, AND A LATCH ON SAID SLEEVE ADJACENT THE HANDLE TO ENGAGE THESHANK TO HOLD BOTH SAID SECTION AND SLEEVE IN RETRACTED POSITION.